Fire-escape



v. BB'ssIBR.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(.No Model.)

110.269.3777. Patented Dec.19, 1882.

ATTORNEYS. g

.4v PETERS. Pnnwumn m hen Walhlllgiun. D. c

ll'wrrnn STATES VITAL BESSIER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,377, dated December 19, 1 882. Application filedApril28,1882. (No model.)

description.

The invention consists in'a shutter-frame combined with a folding ladder having inwardfolding sides, which folding ladder is adapted 'to be contained within the shutter-frame.

- The invention further consists in the combination, with a shutter-frame and a folding ladder adapted to be contained therein, of a pivoted bottom piece of the shutter-frame, and a hook-rod pivoted to the outer side bar of the shutter-frame for holding the pivoted bottom piece in place, and for bracing the shutter- .frame when the ladder is lowered.

The invention further consists in devices for preventing the uppermost rung from sliding out of the shutter-frame when the ladder is lowered.

The invention also consists in details of construction and combination of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved fire-escape, showing the ladder lowered for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, showing its ladder raised and folded. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, showing a modified elevation of the ladder, which is shown lowered. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, showing another modification in the construction of the ladder, which is also shown lowered.

A strong shutter-frame, A, made of wood or iron,is hung by means of strong hinges in the usual manner. A folding ladder is formed of flexible or folding side pieces connected by rungs, which ladder, when folded, can be passed into the shutter-frame from the bottom of the same. The bottom cross-piece, B, of the shutter is hinged to the lower end of the inner side bar, 0, of the sl1utter-i'rame,'and the outer end of the bottom cross-piece, B, is provided with a tongue or tenon, D, fitting into a recess, E, in the lower end of the outer side bar, 0, of the shutter-frame. A headed stud, F, or book or equivalent projects from the outer end of its lower end with a hook, G, ispivoted to the middle of the outer side bar, C, of the shutterframe. A book or eye, H, projects from the wall at that side of the window-opening against rests. In the ladder shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the side pieces of the ladder are formed of pivoted links, pieces, or sections J of half the length of the rungs K, uniting these side the ladder is folded four sections J will rest between each two rungs K. The sections J can be pivoted to each other in any suitable manner, but are perfectly united by means of sections J and rungs K, to which joint-plates the sections J and rungs K are pivoted by means of suitable pintles. The rungs K and the folded sections J slide in longitudinal the side bars, 0 O, of the sh utter-frame, which grooves a are open at the lower ends. The uppermost rung K has a stud, M, projecting from each end into the grooves 12, which are dle of the same, which grooves b are closed at the lower ends.

In the. ladders shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the rungsN are formed of metal plates bent to are attached to united links 0 or to chains or to ropes P. The uppermost rung N is attached to a rope or chain, Q, attached to the upper cross-piece of the shutter-frame, which rung N cannot pass out of the bottom of the shutter-frame, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The ends of the rungs N also slide in grooves a in the shutter-frame.

The operation is as follows: Ordinarily folding ladder is within the shutter-frame A, and is held in the same by the bottom crosspiece B, which is held in place by the hook-rod Gr, the hook Got which is passed under the stud bottom cross-piece, B. A rod, Gr, provided at 5 which the outer side-bar, O, of the shutter pieces at every second joint, whereby when 6 joint-plates L, held in slits in the ends of the 0 grooves a in the inner longitudinal edges of deeper than the grooves a, and are in the midhave U-shaped cross-sections. These rungsN rope is of such length only that the uppermost the F of the bottom cross-piece, B, the rod G restroo ing against the outer surface of the outer side I bar, 0. If the fire-escape is to be used, the bottom cross-piece, B, is released from the hookrod G, and is permitted to swing down, whereby the lower end of the frame A will be opened. The folding ladder drops through the open end of the frame A, and this frame is held in position by means of the rod G, the hook G of which is passed into the eye H, and thus serves as a brace to hold the shutter-frame open, as shown in Fig. 1. The studs M of the ladder shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the ropes Q of the ladders shown in Figs. 3 and 4 prevent these ladders from dropping from the shutterframe altogether. In the ladders shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the flexible side pieces fold within the hollow rungs. If two shutters are used on a window, one can be made as an ordinary blind or shutter, and the other can be made as one of myiniproved fire-escape shutters, which ordinarily have the same appearance as a blind or shutter.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fire'escape made substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of a shutter-frame containing a folding ladder constructed with inward-folding side pieces, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a shutter-frame, of a folding ladder having flexible side pieces, which ladder, when folded, is adapted to be contained in this shutter-frame, and of a pivoted bottom cross-piece of the shutter-frame, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. 7

3. The combination, with a shutter-frame, of a folding ladder, a pivoted bottom cross-piece of the shutter-frame, and a hook-rod pivoted tothe outer side bar of the shutter-frame for holding the pivoted bottom cross-piecein place and for bracingthe sh utter-frame when the ladder is lowered, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a shutter-frame, of a folding ladder adapted to be folded within this frame, and constructed with flexible side pieces, and devices for preventing the uppermost rung of this foldingladder from slidingout of the shutter-frame at the bottom of the same when the ladder is lowered, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the shutter-frame, of link-sections pivoted to each other, and of rungs of double the length of a link-section, which rungs are pivoted to the link-sections at every second joint, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the shutter-frame A, of the link-sections J, the rungs K, and the joint-plates L, substantially as herein shown and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with a shutter-i'rame provided with longitudinal grooves in the inner edges of the side bars, of a folding ladder having inward-folding sides, and the ends of its rungs passed into these grooves when the ladder is folded, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with the shutter-frame A, provided with longitudinal grooves a and b in the inner edges of the side bars, of a folding ladder having studs M projecting from the ends of the uppermost rung into the grooves b, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with a shutter-frame, of a folding ladder constructed with flexible side pieces,and with hollow metal rungs having U- shaped cross-sections, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

VITAL BESSIER.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, O. SEDGWICK. 

